Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Lubrication reservoir for lead screw assembly

a technology of lead screw and lubrication reservoir, which is applied in the direction of gear lubrication/cooling, belt/chain/gearing, gear lubrication/cooling, etc., can solve the problems of excessive lubricant force and eventually pile up at the ends, and achieves less viscosity, slow flow of grease, and lowering the viscosity of greas

Active Publication Date: 2016-11-24
LIN ENG INC
View PDF1 Cites 11 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a lead screw follower nut with an internal reservoir for a lubricant, such as grease, which continuously coats the lead screw as the nut moves back and forth. This is achieved by the lubricant inside the reservoir flowing slowly towards the lead screw due to the rotation of the lead screw. The lubricant inside the reservoir is viscous, but when motion is added, it triggers slow flow or creep of the lubricant towards the lead screw to coat it with a very thin layer. This technology ensures optimal lubrication for the lead screw follower nut.

Problems solved by technology

Since lead screws have large surface areas there is considerable friction between a lead screw and a nut that engages the lead screw and converts the rotational motion of the lead screw into linear motion.
Lubrication is applied directly to the lead screw and the nut tends to push lubricants to opposed ends of the screw where it does no good.
Thus, one of the problems in prior art lead screw lubrication is that excess lubricant is forced toward opposed distant ends of the lead screw, eventually piling up at the ends.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Lubrication reservoir for lead screw assembly
  • Lubrication reservoir for lead screw assembly
  • Lubrication reservoir for lead screw assembly

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0015]With reference to FIG. 2, lead screw 11 with helical threads about an axis 12 supports nut 27 with internal threads in driven relation to the lead screw. The nut has a concave recess, indicated by dashed lines 28 wherein the concave recess serves as a lubricant reservoir. The nut that has a first and second tubular members 31 and 33, separated by an annular spacer 35 similar to the anti-backlash nut of the prior art shown in FIG. 1. An optional spring washer 37, not used in prior art anti-backlash nuts, limits the approach of the tubular members 31 and 33 within the annular spacer 35 as explained below.

[0016]With reference to FIG. 3, a nut of the invention is shown in a disassembled state. A first tubular member 31 is shown on the right with both internal and external threads. A first portion of internal threads 41 of the first tubular member 31 faces the annular spacer 73 and can reside fully within the spacer. The internal threads 41 cannot be seen but are positioned to enga...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A nut driven by a lead screw and stepper motor has an internal concave recess for holding high viscosity grease that is semi-solid at ambient temperature and spaced from the lead screw. Grease flow ensues with lead screw motion causing a slow flow of grease coating the lead screw with a thin coating of grease as the nut travels back and forth over the lead screw. The nut may be an anti-backlash nut or a single member nut with both having a concave recess about the lead screw for the grease.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62 / 165,702, filed May 22, 2015.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The invention relates to lead screw lubrication and, in particular to a lubrication reservoir in a lead screw assembly.BACKGROUND ART[0003]Lead screws translate rotary motion from a motor or the like into linear motion through a nut. The motor, lead screw and nut form a lead screw assembly. Since lead screws have large surface areas there is considerable friction between a lead screw and a nut that engages the lead screw and converts the rotational motion of the lead screw into linear motion. Such friction is overcome by lubrication, usually with oil.[0004]Exemplary of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,110 that shows a lead screw having oil lubrication using a ball recirculation block with oil storing means wherein a cavity in the ball recirculation block which being not effectively used for circulating balls i...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): F16H57/04F16H25/20
CPCF16H57/0497F16H25/2003F16H25/20F16H57/0464F16H57/12F16H2025/2075
Inventor LIN, TED T.SAMAHA, ABDALLAH
Owner LIN ENG INC